Eppstein House

Renovation and Extension of a Single-family Home

Client: Private
Location: Eppstein, Germany
Date: 2011-2013

Built in 1977 as a single-family home embedded in the hillside, and characterized by the living style of the 70s, the house no longer suited the requirements of the next generation of the family, who wanted to continue living in their childhood home. Nau2 proposed to adapt the existing floor plan to the young family’s needs, including a contemporary addition and an extensive renovation.

Situated on a platform with wide panoramic views of the countryside and the Taunus mountain range, the house sits within the slope at garden level and only receives natural light from two sides. From the existing small, relatively dark spaces, two significant adaptations were made. First, a two-story addition was built, extending westward from the house’s original exterior walls. Second, the southeast corner of the building was pushed out towards the garden and replaced with full-height glazing to create a large, bright living/dining room with open kitchen, oriented towards the exterior with generous openings to the south.

The home’s interior opens towards the garden and the panorama beyond. The new floor-to-ceiling glass façade extends the space, brings in natural light and offers stunning views of the countryside. The partition walls on the ground floor were replaced with two beams, the ground slab insulated, under-floor heating completed, and a chimney installed in the new extension. This resulted in a more pleasant indoor climate and an increased usable floor area.

Rising from a height of 4.8 to 6 meters, the extension on the southwest connects the garden level with the upper floor through a double-height void. Light is directed from the south side of the addition into the center of the house over two floors and connects the ground floor living areas with an open studio on the first floor. Thus, the occupant has a new view from the first floor onto the ground level and out to the garden. Allowing for communication over two levels, this connection simplifies the family’s daily life.

(On the first floor, the master bedroom has direct access to an en suite bathroom, with a guest bedroom situated just next door. The attic level was insulated, fitted out, and converted to living space. Its new layout now comprises three bedrooms, a bathroom, and an adjoining living room with a large southeast facing window in the gable.)

Updates to the building envelope focused on optimizing energy usage. Deeper window embrasures, the result of re-insulating the façade, were creatively accentuated. In addition to the new curtain wall façade, all existing windows were replaced with high-quality wooden windows, and the new fireplace was placed near the center of the building to minimize energy loss.

The home’s material and color palette combines natural, high-quality oak wood flooring, white walls and anthracite accents, thereby creating a bright and contemporary atmosphere.

Project Partner:
– Drexler Guinand Jauslin Architects, Frankfurt

Photos:
© Nau2